One fatally shot overnight in South Toledo
11/10/2017
Toledoan Dennis Griffith, standing by a pool of the victim's blood, recalls a homicide he witnessed in his Atlantic Avenue driveway overnight.
THE BLADE/LORI KING
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Dennis Griffith was inside his garage Friday when a gunman opened fire on the South Toledo block.
“I had one more cigarette and started hearing gunshots. Real loud. Bam-bam, bam, bam, bam. Probably seven or eight,” he said. “First two I was thinking, what the heck's going on?”
VIDEO: Witness describes city’s latest homicide
Mr. Griffith then found the body of Richmond Felix, 29, in his driveway.
Toledo police said Felix was shot and killed about 12:55 a.m. in the 800 block of Atlantic Avenue, near Nelson Avenue. The Lucas County Coroner’s Office determined he was shot three times, suffering head and torso wounds.
It was unclear to homicide detectives Friday if the killing is connected to any other shootings, police spokesman Sgt. Kevan Toney said.
RELATED: The Blade’s 2017 homicide report
Mr. Griffith, 45, said Felix appeared to have been shot while walking and was not breathing when he arrived.
“He was gone. We said a prayer for him. It was just a long night,” Mr. Griffith said.
Mr. Griffith said he is now considering moving from the home he bought late last year. Since then, there have been two homicides in the 800 block of Atlantic.
Catherine Ferguson, 40, was shot and killed Jan. 3 while sitting on a couch in her home; police later said she may have been an unintended target.
Mr. Griffith dumped hot water to clean up the blood on his property. A small, frozen puddle remained on the driveway later that morning.
“You never expect it to be that close to home. I was worried — he could have shot up my house,” Mr. Griffith said.
There have been 35 people killed this year in Toledo and 36 including the metro area.
Felix's death is Toledo's first homicide since the Oct. 10 killings of Deiyana Porter and Gregory Stone, both 18, in the 700 block of Brighton Avenue, about a half mile away.
Officials urge anyone with information to call the Crime Stopper program at 419-255-1111. Callers may remain anonymous and could be eligible for a cash reward.
Contact Ryan Dunn at rdunn@theblade.com, 419-724-6095, or on Twitter @RDunnBlade.